Lead Poisoning Prevention

Program Overview

The Springfield Lead Poisoning Prevention Program provides blood lead testing, nursing case management and environmental assessments to identify and help eliminate lead hazards.

Lead Risks

• FACT: Lead exposure can harm young children and unborn babies.
• FACT: Even children who seem healthy may have high levels of lead in their blood.
• FACT: In 2003, at least 3,000 Missouri children under the age of six tested positive for high blood lead levels.

Lead poisoning can cause serious health problems, especially to children under the age of six. Children who have high lead levels may not have specific symptoms. The only way to be sure a child has lead poisoning is to do a blood test.

Testing

Blood lead level testing is available for children aged six months to six years through the Women, Infant and Children (WIC) program.

Children of families not served by WIC may call Ruth Brown, RN at 417-874-1217.

Eligibility

Lead services are available at no cost to residents of Greene County.